


Critical Mass

by infiniteworld8



Category: Z Nation (TV)
Genre: Developing Friendships, Developing Relationship, Graphic Depictions of Illness, Post-Episode s01e10 Going Nuclear, Radiation Sickness, Team Dynamics, Team as Family, Zombie Apocalypse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-09
Updated: 2015-06-09
Packaged: 2018-03-22 03:21:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,352
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3712939
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/infiniteworld8/pseuds/infiniteworld8
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Post the events of "Going Nuclear" the team needs some time to decompress. After nearly losing 10K in the nuclear plant Cassandra is working through what her feelings for him are. When a mysterious illness strikes 10K, both he and Cassandra realise that maybe they are  more than friends.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I do like Cassandra/10K but I think it's really complicated...and so I want to explore some of those issues...Cassandra's issues with being forced to prostitute herself, 10K's loneliest and guilt over his father, his social awkwardness, and of course the overwhelming issue of the zombie apocalypse.

 “Somebody needs to do something to cheer up the kid.” Doc told the group as a whole.

Murphy snorted sitting down on a chair.”Why don’t you go handle the teenage angst as our self-appointed moral officer. I’ve got enough shit to be bothered with without listening to some more.”

Warren glared at Murphy and he broke off what he had been about to say and instead took a large gulp from the last of his vodka bottle. Cassandra flicked her eyes back to 10K,. He was outside the fence perimeter and  had wandered a short ways from the group and she could just see him walking towards the creek that wound by Homer’s cabin.

“I don’t care about what you think Murphy. If you don’t shut up and sit down, you’re going to regret it. We gotta get you to California but just how intact you gotta be is negotiable.”

Cassandra heard all Murphy start to reply only to see receive a sharp rebuke from Warren. “Murphy, I’m warning you.”

The conversation between Doc and Warren started up again behind her. 10K was almost out of sight in the trees now.  Cassandra wasn’t sure how she felt about him. It was obvious he liked her...and whether it was nothing more than a crush on the only available female in the group remotely his age  or something more, it still complicated things. 10K was a bit younger than her but that was much less an issue now. Age didn’t matter when most of the population wouldn’t live long enough to see more than a few  years if they were lucky anyhow.

What complicated things was more her own feelings. She wasn’t ready for a relationship yet, she didn’t know when if ever she would be anytime soon. 10K was nice enough, polite , deadly, and smart, all great things for a potential partner in the Zombie apocalypse. But ever since Philly she couldn’t stop thinking about what she had been made to do. How what the people she had thought were safe and were her friends and been the same ones whoring her out and trying to turn her into a willing cannibal.

The thought of another man’s skin against her own made her sick...and yet 10K was 10K. He had saved her countless times, he had helped rescue her in Philly and he had ridden out the  freak tornado with her . And he had never asked or more importantly tried to take anything in return...in this post-apocalyptic madness finding somebody like that was rare enough.

“I’m telling you the kid is torn up. “ Doc was continuing behind her. “You didn’t hear all that happened in the core like we did, it was bad Warren. He freaked out, was calling Homer dad, kept refusing to shoot him and that was after the guy turned into a zombie.”

“As I told you we all have it Present Traumatic Stress no big—“

“SHUT UP MURPHY” both Warren and Doc yelled it this time.

Warren spoke this time. “What are we going to do Doc? It’s 10K , he barely talks under normal circumstances...he’s definitely not going to want to talk it out now.”

“Send the girl, he’ll be willing to do a lot more than talk it out with her.” Murphy continued  now starting to sing loudly off-key. “ _And when I get that feeling, I want sexual_ _healing_ —Owww! God damn-it Warren that hurt.”

Cassandra didn’t turn around, but she could feel her cheeks blushing at what Murphy had said.

“You know that isn’t half a bad idea...”

Warren nodded in agreement with Doc, “Cassandra ---Cassandra!”

She turned around the second time her name was called even though she had heard Warren the first time. She already knew what was coming.

Warren walked closer, her lips pressed tightly in her nonsense expression that had become even more common since Garnett died and she had assumed de-facto leadership of the group. “We need you to go talk to 10K, Homer dying shook him up.” Warren crouched down and lowered her voice. “ and even though I hate to agree with that degenerate, Murphy’s right. 10K will talk to you, if we’ve all got a chance of surviving we need everybody to keep it together.”

Cassandra nodded. It wasn’t like she had much choice. Somebody needed to go after him, and she was the best option but that didn’t mean she had to like it.

“Here it’s getting dark, take this” Warren passed over her machete. Cassandra slipped it into her own belt holster and set off. It was only a thin stand of trees so she had little warning before she stumbled onto 10k.

She would have  laughed in another life. 10K was standing there buck naked except for one of his numerous guns aimed dead centre at her. As it was his face coloured when he saw who it was.

Cassandra felt her own face flush. She should have realised that 10K had probably left the group partly to be alone but also because he hadn’t had a chance to wash off after being in the Nuclear plant and possibly being exposed.

Cassandra quickly turned around as she heard him struggling into his clothes. “Sorry, I didn’t know you were—“ She broke off saying the word naked sounded weird and by the time she thought to substitute bathing it would have been too awkward.

“Yeah, Ho—, that engineer guy said to wash after we—I—got out. Apparently those rad suits were too old to be perfectly safe.” 10K laughed but it was forced. “I guess it wasn’t only that hot suit that was making me feel like a baked potato.”

Cassandra didn’t really find anything funny about what had happened.  High levels of radiation, a doomsday reactor, radioactive zombies and a suicide run to shut the whole thing down wasn’t a laughing matter but she knew why 10K needed to laugh. It was the apocalypse, no either laugh or cry, it was either laugh or curl up in a corner and die.

“Shit—“ Cassandra turned around at the groan to find 10K had his trousers in place but he was bent over hands on his knees with his shirt held in his hand.

Cassandra moved over, forgetting her own awkwardness as she noted how pale he was.  She placed a hand on his still damp shoulder and maybe it was her imagination but he felt a little warm.

“What’s wrong?”

He took a moment before replying and in that space she saw him swallow convulsively twice then he answered. “Nothing I just feel a little dizzy.”

He straightened up pulling his shirt on. And Cassandra used the opportunity to study him. His face was deathly pale,  his eyes were squinted like something was hurting him. She moved from there to studying his face closer, noting the angles of his face, the way his hair stuck up, the—.

“Is there something on my face?”

Cassandra jerked startled at the unexpected comment.  10K was staring at her and if it had been anybody else she would have thought it was a joke. But this was 10K who was largely clueless about  most in-jokes, a lot of pop-culture and typical experiences that had been so common before the apocalypse.

Rather than admit to what she had been doing she reached up running and thumb across his cheek. “Yeah, right there. Dirt or something.”

“Thanks.”  He slung his rifle over his shoulder. She thought he would start back towards the cabin but instead and seemed to decide otherwise a few steps from the creek as he abruptly changed course and settled against a tree.

“Tired?” Cassandra hesitated then sat next to him. The sun was setting and it would be dark soon, staying her after dark was begging for trouble from Z’s.  But she rationalised that a few more minutes wouldn’t hurt.  Plus 10K looked like he needed a brief rest.

“Yeah.”

Seconds passed  then 10K cleared his throat. “Thanks.”

Cassandra glanced  at him “For what?”

He leaned forward and grabbed a pebble tossing it in the creek before answering. “For back at the Nuclear plant...” His eye met hers for just the briefest moment before he grabbed another stone and flipped it around in his fingers. “I kinda lost it back there and you telling me to get out of there . Well it got through—“

Cassandra wasn’t sure if _he_ had misinterpreted her actions and she wasn’t even sure of what _she_ had meant back there. All that had been clear was that somebody needed to talk him out or he was going to do something crazy like stay in there with Homer’s zombiefied body or try to rescue the un-dead man. She hadn’t been thinking about 10K specifically,  just as one of their group...or had she? Cassandra shook her head mentally chastising herself. She wasn’t sure of the answer and it wasn’t important. It was the goddamn apocalypse not time to think about feelings and what not. She couldn’t afford for her actions to be anything more than trying to help a valuable member of their misfit tea. She needed 10K to understand that and she needed to make sure she didn’t lose track of it either. So she said. “Well Doc was yelling for you too; we were all worried.”

There was silence then which she felt needed to be filled. “That was brave back there.” _Really had she just said that?_ Cassandra mentally chided herself again, here was another reason why 10K wasn’t good for her, his presence was turning her into one of those cheesy stars from those pre-apocalypse movies.

“It was just Z’s...radioactive Z’s.... but still Z’s.” He shrugged. “Nothing new.”

Cassandra thought he wasn’t going to speak again then he added. “And it wasn’t brave...if I had been I would have found a way to save Homer.”

“He was a dead man from the moment his suit breached, maybe even before that. I don’t think he wanted to live .”

She had meant the comment as a consolation (comfort wasn’t her strong suit) but 10K turned to her. His eyes were a bit wild and she would’ve bet the moisture shining was the start of tears. “You don’t get it. It wasn’t about that. I’m the one that failed him, I’ the one that should have saved him!”

Cassandra softened her voice even as his got louder. “You did what you could 10—“

He shook his head not even listening anymore. “He went into that core so I didn’t. He took a bullet for me. He became a Z and I lived. He saved me and I couldn’t save him....I couldn’t save him.” His voice fell at the need to a whisper.

Cassandra couldn’t begin to decipher what  all he was talking about.  Homer hadn’t been shot before entering the reactor, but understanding the story wasn’t what was important ,it was being there for 10K.

Murphy’s present traumatic stress be damned, they were each entitled  to a little breakdown occasionally especially the way the last few weeks had been going.

10K had turned away and even though he was trying to hide it she could hear the muffled breaths and sniffing as he tried to hold back the tears.

She reached out grabbing his hand, his palm was clammy and warm in her grip. He turned at her touch and she held her voice firm as she met his eyes. “You didn’t save him...you couldn’t save him...but you did save me and Doc, Warren, Murphy, probably a whole bunch of others...It’s the apocalypse you can’t save everyone...even the people that matter the most to you.”

10K stared at her for a long moment, then blurted out. “I’ll always find a way to save you.” He immediately looked embarrassed.

Cassandra wasn’t sure how to respond, she tried to make it sound more like a joke but it came out sincerer than she had intended. “I know.” She quickly followed up before the moment could become too awkward. “Now get up and let’s go back to be zombie killing bad asses. The apocalypse stops for no one”

10K smiled at that then added. “You forget that Murphy’s mouth doesn’t either, we’ll be lucky if he hasn’t eaten all of dinner.”

“True”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Critical Mass refers to: the smallest amount of fissile material needed for a sustained nuclear chain reaction.
> 
> Which I felt was an appropriate title for this fic for two reasons, firstly because the episode this fic was related to was centered around trying to shut down a nuclear plant. Second, the title also makes reference to the breakdown of the group in terms of the people they've lost (Mack and Addy, and pretty much most everyone they ever knew) up to that point and how each of them is even now more critical to the mission because they are literally the (arguably) smallest their group could be and still have a chance of making it to California.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just wanted to add that I think some technical aspects of the episode Going Nuclear were complete and utter crap. Read the end notes if you want my thoughts just why....Info for this fic taken from :my own 7 years plus medical experience, MayoClinic, Wikipedia (don't judge), and NRC pdfs of radiation management.

                                                                                                   O_o

“Pass the filet mignon.”  The sarcasm was palpable as Murphy gestured towards a dish of re-hydrated beans.

“Murphy, if you think you can cook better you can try it next time.” Doc answered as Murphy spooned beans onto his plate.

“I’m just saying whose bright idea was it to have the guy who can’t even cook good meth try to delve into the mess that’s dehydrated food.”

“I don’t see that stopping you from trying to _eat_ it all.” Warren added snatching the bowl from his grasp as he attempted to load the entire contents onto his plate.

“I’m the last great hope of humanity. It would be a shame if I starved to death because that zombie killing food disposal ate all the food like he usually does and—“

“Shut up Murphy!” Warren barked the order and Murphy sullen complied, still making snide comments under his breath.

It was true, 10K did eat a lot when he could get it which wasn’t often consider they usually had just the bare minimum of supplies. But tonight even though they had a proverbial feast of MRE’s, dehydrated bean, rice, and even strangely some odd tasting canned bacon. 10K had eaten about half of his plate and was picking at the rest.

Cassandra figured he was still upset about Homer. But he looked more sick than sad. During there walk back from the creek he had been  much slower than usual and have even stopped at one point like he was about to be throw up before he had straightened back up meeting her concerned gaze with “Got dizzy again.” He was really quiet too, but that was nothing new.

“I’m going to get some sleep.”

He stood up pushing his plate back. Murphy quickly pounced on the remaining food. Doc glanced up from his own meal saying what they were all thinking. “You okay kid? You don’t look so hot.”

“Yeah, it’s just been a long day.”

He looked really tired. He was skin was pink now, almost a flushed fever bright look, but his eyes looked more tired than ever.

They all watched as he walked to the front room to sleep.

“Probably coming down with something” Murphy added as he finished scrapping the teen’s plate onto his own. “Hope it’s not contagious.”

O_o

10K could feel the other’s eyes boring into him. He knew they were talking about him and how he had freaked out back at the plant.  Losing Homer had been like losing his father all over again.  Only this time instead of taking a bullet for him the man had suffered lethal doses of radiation. He still felt sick as he remembered leaving Homer’s still undead body in the core.

But he hadn’t been able to bring himself to kill Homer like he had killed his father...maybe he was losing it. After all zombies were dead but  still it had felt like murder to plunge that knife through his dad’s (he refused to think zombie’s) skull...and he couldn’t bring himself to do the same to Homer.

The zombie was probably still writhing in the reactor core trying to fruitlessly escape, it’s eyes glowing and glow in the dark slime spilling from his mouth. 10K had to swallow at that last thought. He felt nauseated  and his stomach was cramping pretty bad now. It had been for an hour or two now, even before dinner. He had forced himself to eat because he didn’t care to hear Warren’s and Doc’s questioning comments if he didn’t or Murphy’s sarcastic insults. Now he was seriously regretting his decision.

He was probably coming down with something as Murphy had said...his head felt dizzy and full, plus the slight twinge he had felt a few hours after leaving the plant had turned into a full blown head splitting throb.  He brought a hand up to massage his temples only to find forehead was uncomfortably warm. Great, he had a fever too. He reached in his pocket grabbing the few Tylenol’s he had gotten from the cabin’s medicine cabinet and dry swallowed them.

He just needed some rest...and for once he could actually get a full night without having to worry much. There was only one bed in the house, but there was some sleeping bags....he glanced at the couch but the decided to leave it for whichever of the women didn’t take the bed.

It didn’t matter to him where he slept and the cabin’s wood floor was certainly better than risking zombies out in the open.

He settled into a sleeping bag and within seconds had fallen asleep.

0_o

It was the throbbing in his gut that woke him up. It felt like all his insides were being eaten from the inside out. The cabin was dark and by the others snores he knew they were asleep.  He felt exhausted and wanted nothing more to continue lying there, but  he knew that was a bad idea. His stomach was bubbling and an unpleasant taste was creeping up his throat.  He sat up, managing to get tangled in his blankets as  he tried to move.

His head was pounding and when he finally was able to stand he found himself so dizzy he didn’t know if he could make it outside before he became sick. 10K was halfway down the hall to the cabin door before he remembered the bathroom right off the kitchen.

It had been so long since modern amenities...and this one wasn’t much more than a composting toilet and a sink with a solar tank, but it was better than leaning over the cabin railing trying to keep from falling face first in his puke or shitting in the bushes as he tried not to pass out.

 _It was food poisoning._   _Had to be_ , _it certainly felt like food poisoning_..like when  that time he was so hungry  he had eaten the dented can of beef stew he had found sitting out in the sun. That memory had him fumbling for the toilet lid as he kneeled. He was praying it was only coming from one end because he hadn’t had time to find a trashcan.

The pain and nausea was only getting worse, _maybe his appendix was bursting...maybe he was going to die right  here on the cold bathroom floor and become a zombie...maybe he should call someone so they could give him mercy before he turned._

He couldn’t manage to get out more than a pained groan when he opened his mouth though, and that was followed by a wave of mostly undigested food. Another wave followed that, then another...He finally drew a breath, repeatedly swallowing hoping he could suppress the heaves still threatening to come.

It was a necessity, because round two had started from the south end. He managed to  get his trousers down just in time before it came.   He rested his head on his legs, arms wrapped around his middle in an attempt to soothe the agony in his stomach.  That didn’t work and it felt like in only a moment he had raised his head back up searching for a trash container or some sort of receptacle. There wasn’t anything. The sink was too far away .

He stood up intending to try to hold is intestines off long enough so he could puke. It wasn’t to be. He had barely started to stand before hot slimy liquid filled his mouth. He clamped a hand over his lips but another surge came up and flooded past the barrier. He finally gave in letting his hand go as more came. He was too sick to feel  embarrassed as the floor spattered with scant remnants of food and bile. It was a miracle he had enough present of mind to twist his head to the side so at least his trousers didn’t get the worst of it.

The other end was continuing to torture him too. He felt so nauseated and just sick...and he couldn’t catch his breath enough in between to even call out for someone else even if he would have wanted them to come and find him like this.

X_x

She wasn’t sure what woke her up this time. 10k had woken her up earlier stumbling out for a midnight bathroom break.  But this time it was less obvious. She froze as she heard a groan...it sounded a bit like a zombie and not.

10K’s sleeping bag was still empty, she wasn’t sure how long she had slept since she last woke up but a quick touch of the blankets confirmed they were still warm but closer to cool than actual body heat, which meant he had to have left fairly recently.

_Maybe he had heard the sound she had and went out to add to his zombie kill count..._

She grabbed the knife she had keeping a firm grip on it. Murphy was sleeping a little ways across from Doc and Warren was in the bedroom. She thought about waiting the others but if it wasn’t anything serious then she would feel like an idiot for ruining everybody’s sleep for no reason .

She decided to go see what was going on herself and then if she needed to a shout would wake the others.  The noise seemed to be coming from somewhere off the kitchen. She walked quietly grateful for the  solar lights which at least provided enough lights to see the shadows with and make sure they were clear of zombies.

The sound stopped for a moment the  started up again. She froze puzzled and then turned to the bathroom door. The sound was loud now, and unrelenting and now that she thought about it less like a zombie moan and more like pained retching and gagging. 

It only took her a moment to put together the pieces, 10K’s unwell appearance, his midnight awakening and now finally the sound waking her up from her sleep.   She winced as she heard the sound again. “10K you okay?”

There was no answer just a pause in gagging before it resumed. Cassandra tried again. “You sound really sick. I’m going to come in okay?” She started to open the door, only to have the sound cut out again. This time he answered. His voice was hoarse and sounded weak. “No—I’m fine—I’m –“ He broke off and she could hear him panting then the gagging started again.

She hesitated torn between ignoring his wishes and going in or getting the others. Ultimately she decided the latter, Doc or Warren would know more about what to do the she would. “I’ll be right back.”

She didn’t get an answer and didn’t expect one.  Doc was closet and he startled awake a knife pointed in the entirely wrong direction as she carefully stood out of reach just in case. “Something’s wrong with 10K.”

The old man was still blinking sleep from his eyes but at that he straightened up. Warren had woken up also, probably at the gagging now which now sounded astonishingly loud in the nearly silent cabin and had walked in holding her machete at the ready.

“What’s that noise?”

“10K” Cassandra answered not bothering to stop and answer the rest of Warren’s questions. Instead she quickly made her way back to the bathroom. It was silent inside now.

Doc called out. “Kid you okay in there?”

There wasn’t an answer not even retching this time.

“We’re going to come in okay?”

“Is this a good idea...what if he’s dead and we’ll just be letting a zombie—.”

Warren turned around irritably as Murphy spoke, nobody had noticed he was even awake. “Well what do you want us to do Murphy? The boy is sick.”

“Or he’s dead and is going to try to eat us....shoot through the door—“

Cassandra quieted him this time. “Shut the fuck up Murphy.”

He fell momentarily silent, no doubt astonished she had addressed him like that.

Warren nodded at Doc, machete not quite held at the ready, like she didn’t want to consider Murphy’s idea a possibility but she couldn’t help doing so. Doc gripped the door handle and twisted, the door swung open.

They were greeted by the smell of sickness and 10K’s body lying deathly still on the floor. “Told ya, he’s dead. Pike him before he turns.” Murphy was ignored, because at that moment 10K groaned  and then feebly curled up tighter, arms wrapped around his abdomen.

It was obvious he was sick. His face was oddly pale beneath patches that looked like sunburns. Vomit fanned out on the floor where he had missed the toilet and his trousers were undone and partway down.

“10K, sweetie can you hear us?” Warren asked, layer a hand across his forehead. He didn’t answer except to groan which turned into gagging. He didn’t even open his eyes as more bile spilled past his lips.

Warren looked up. It was her keep calm, but internally panicking face. “Doc can you get his arms and me and Cassandra will get his legs, let’s move him to the couch. 

It took a few moments to get him to unwrap his arms enough to pick him up. They fixed his clothes as best they could and then  moved out. Murphy was thankfully silent. Cassandra glared at him as she walked past , she was tired of his ungrateful, self centred comments.

They settled 10K down on a the couch, he was mostly unconscious except for the occasional moan.

“Okay, what now? Are we all just going to stand here and wait to catch whatever he’s got.”

“Murphy shut your hole, if he’s got something we’ve probably all got it, same sleeping quarters, same food, same water...same germs.”

“I’ll have you know I’ve got different germs. Life saving germs that are important to the human race and—“

“Murphy you selfish son of a bitch —“

Cassandra ignored the argument starting up between Doc and Murphy and instead crouched next to where Warren was examining 10K.

“What is it?”

Warren looked up. ”I don’t know. Maybe the flu, maybe a 24 hour bug, food poisoning, you name it. It’s not like we’ve got the benefit of modern medicine anymore.” She brushed his hair back from where it was plastered to his forehead, using the back of her hand to feel his sweaty skin. “He’s definitely got a fever.” She got to her feet. “I’m going to see if Homer had his first aid kit as well stocked as he did the rest of the house. See if you can keep 10K cooled down with a wet cloth until I get back.”

Cassandra grab a bandanna from her pack and wet it down as she waited for Warren to come back.  His face was  drawn with dark shadows under his eyes and except for the slight rise and fall of his chest as he breathed he could have been turning to a Z.

“How’s he doing?”

Cassandra shook her head, not needing to answer Doc’s questions. 10K’s position clearly spoke for himself.

“He’s a tough kid. He’ll be fine.” Doc said quietly from above her but even he sounded worried. 

10K stirred at Doc’s voice and his eyes briefly opened partly. They looked blood-shot and by the way he was skimming over everything Cassandra wasn’t seeing stuff to clearly.  He settled on doc. “Dad?—“

That was all he got to say before he moaned again and gagged. This time the bile he brought up had specks of red.

“Do you—“

Warren cut Cassandra off , with a quiet. “Yeah I do.”

Murphy had wandered over and once again offered his opinion. “He’s probably got Ebola—“

“Get him out of here.” Warren added tightly over her shoulder. Doc grabbed the man and dragged him out the room.

Cassandra watched as she silently took his temperature . “100.2” She gave a low whistle  as she thought aloud “Nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea, fever...it could be the flu”

“Or—what else?” Cassandra couldn’t keep help the  tremor in her voice and she knew by the quick look in Warren’s eye that she had caught that unexpected exhibit of emotion.

“Or it could be a lot of things. “  She crossed over to the window and Cassandra followed her as she lowered her voice so the sleeping 10K wouldn’t hear.  “I’m going to be honest with you. I’m no medical Doc and Doc isn’t much either. We’ve got bad sanitation, sketchy water supplies, barely any food most of the times...this could be anything from some third world bug to a hyped up common cold, but I know someone who can help narrow it down.”

They all clustered in the kitchen. 10K was sleeping in the living room, so far he had managed to swallow a sip of water and the accompanying Reglan tablet Warren had found in Homer’s first aide kit. Now they just had to hope 10K kept it down, if not then it was suppositories next and neither of the group had any desire to go there.

“Northern Lights this is Operation Bite Mark do you read?” Warren held the Sat phone up higher. “I repeat Northern Lights this is Operation Bite Mark.”

They all waited a moment before citizen Z’s voice popped up. “This is Northern Lights reading you loud and clear, go ahead.”

“We’re still in Edgemont, 10K is sick and we need to know if you could look up the symptoms and give us a better idea of what we’re dealing with.”

“Roger, ready to copy.”

Warren gave  Citizen Z the info we the others interjecting occasionally.

A low whistle sounded after she finished. “Operation Bite Mark, I’ve got about 300 possible diseases, anyway we can narrow this down a little? “

“Roger, how so?”

“Onset of symptoms?  anything different you’ve done lately? That sort of thing. Over.”

Warren and the others answered the questions as best they could.

Citizen Z sighed. “Still got a fairly large list and—“

“Wait.” Cassandra broke in ignoring the others looks. She remembered Amelia’s father had been considered about them reaching their rad limits.  10K had done something different he had been standing in a nuclear reactor.

Citizen Z didn’t speak she told him but she could hear his keyboard clicking away. His voice was tight when he came on again. “ How long was he there?” He waited for her to answer then asked the next question. “And what type of suit was he wearing.”

“I don’t know it was big, orange, with some sort of air filter or something in the back...” Cassandra described the suit as best she could.

There was a few moments before  Citizen Z’s voice came back on. “Guys, if I’m right this doesn’t look good. Now keep in mind I could be wrong or the search could be wrong. I’m no doctor—“

“Will you spit it out man.” Murphy said snatching the phone from Warren and cutting citizen Z off. “I’d like to know just what the hell our little zombie killing machine has got so I can figure out how soon to pike him and—Ow fuck—Warren...”

Warren snatched the phone back from Murphy ignoring how he was now complaining about her elbow to the ribs. “Just lay it to us straight.”

“Okay, I think he has radiation sickness.”

“What the hell? How’d the kid get that we wore suits, he did too.” Doc interjected.

“I’m  just saying it’s one of the to hits and the symptoms seem to fit. My guess is the suits probably haven’t been maintained too well if at all over the past few years, couple that with possibly more radiation at the core then you thought and we’re looking at this.”

Cassandra glanced back towards where they had left 10K , then  turned back . Warren had a knowing , sad look on her face and Cassandra had a feeling Warren  had figured out more about what her and 10K felt about each other than they had themselves.  Cassandra knew the next question Warren asked was for her more so than any of them.

“Northern Lights, we what are we looking at...is this something we can treat or...” The unsaid words lingered in the air , everyone knew what would have come next. There was only one thing to do for someone who was going to die –kill them before they turned.

“ Depends on a number of factors...you guys don’t feel sick right?”

Cassandra answered no and the others shook their heads.

“Well then 10K’s exposure, is probably related to him spending more time in there than you and his closer proximity to the nuclear material.  I’m  looking at a few  site now, general consensus is the longer between when the symptoms start and the radiation exposure the less likely it is that you got a fatal dose.  When did his symptoms start?”

“He didn’t look so hot around dinner, that was a few hours ago—“

Cassandra shook her head. “It was before that. At the creek, he said he was dizzy a few times and he looked sick. So maybe about 2 or 3 hours after  he left the plant.”

Citizen Z chimed in. “Okay, and he’s got diarrhoea and a fever, kinda delirious... Based on the time line and his symptom onset I’m getting that he probably got upwards of 2 Gy’s but less than about 5-6 Gy’s...”

“Which means?” Warren asked.

“Hold your horses...Got it,  this means that even without receiving proper medical care there’s a chance that this isn’t fatal.”

Cassandra released a breath that hadn’t realised she was holding. Everyone else  even Murphy looked relieved.

“If I’m right his symptoms should clear up in a few days..”

“A few days? We don’t have time to be playing nursemaid to—“

Cassandra turned around her hand straying to the knife at her belt as she gave Murphy a glare. He glanced between the expressions on both her and Warren’s faces and then fell quiet.

“Is there anything we can do?” Cassandra asked , ignoring the desire to stab  Murphy as she turned back to the Sat phone.

“Keep him comfortable, push fluids, something for the stomach symptoms if you’ve got anything...in the lower doses of rad sickness it’s dehydration and such that seem to kill not the actual radiation. “

“So the kids got a chance.” Doc muttered running a tired hand over his face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> First off if the area was so contaminated that they could only be inside the perimeter for two minutes without risking serious issues then the area so close to the reactor would likely be a great deal more contaminated. 
> 
> Considering that 10K probably has no idea how to safely don and remove radiation gear and probably had very little if any time to learn then we've got a recipe for disaster. Accidental contamination anyone?
> 
> Next, if he freaked after Homer turned in the plant and removed his suit before he was fully away, voila ...radiation sickness.
> 
> Lastly, were those suits properly maintained in the three years since the apocalypse? I'm under the impression that rad suits are supposed to be checked for air leaks, seal issues, etc on a regular basis.
> 
> Thanks for reading


	3. Chapter 3

“Hey 10K, can you hear me?” Cassandra said the words quietly but just like every there time over the past few hours she didn’t receive an answer.

She continued talking. It was soothing to her and maybe somewhere in his fevered dreams he did hear her. “I need you to drink some of this” His eyes fluttered and but he didn’t fully awake. However when tipped some water between his lips he swallowed some of it before letting the rest spill down his chin as his eyes closed again and he fell back asleep.

He didn’t seem  to get much better but he wasn’t worse either...and that at least was something. He hadn’t had any hair loss, skin falling off, which according to  Citizen Z usually meant the dose of radiation would be fatal.  They had moved him to the bed in the backroom and used Homer’s stocked medical supplies to try to keep him hydrated but there wasn’t much else they could do.

Murphy had spent the last day and a half complaining every second he got until Cassandra suspected Warren had taken him aside and threatened him. What threat Warren had used was anybody’s guess but Cassandra knew from experience the woman could be quite persuasive when necessary. In any case Murphy had confined himself to muttered remarks  and snide looks but thankfully kept most of his opinions quiet.

Cassandra had taken it upon herself to take care of 10K. Doc had tried to help but the guy was good at remembering episodes of ER and trying to make knockoff drugs and not much of anything in the actual medical department. And Warren ,while she tried to be all around  leader of the group was actuallyl more of a fighter than the caring type.  Murphy of course was good for nothing more than reminding them how he was important to the future of the world (something he did several times a day). So keeping an eye on 10K had fallen to Cassandra, not that she minded much.

As Cassandra wiped the sweat off his forehead, and coaxed him to drink water she tried to convince herself that what she was doing was nothing more than helping one of the team. After all they all had a debt to 10k for going into the plant and technically saving all of them from dying in some massive nuclear meltdown, not to mention the innumerable times his sniping skills had meant the difference between eating brains and waking up another day. She needed to keep her distance from 10K she need to keep her distance from 10K, to just think of him as one of the team. She had already lost so many people that even to lose one more...she didn’t know if she could take it.

At the same time it was already too late because  somewhere along the way 10K became more than just one of the team. 

O_o

“How’s he doing?”

Cassandra  glanced up startled as Wareen walked in and settled on the edge of the bed. The woman could be quite silent when she wanted to be Cassandra shrugged, at Warren’s question.  Warren knew as well as she did how 10K was. She was just making small talk in the hopes of taking Cassandra’s mind off of everything.

“It’ll only be a few more days at most...” Warren murmured, her eyes tired as she took in 10K’s still form.

Cassandra knew what she was hinting. At first the others had been hopeful but as time was wearing on even Warren was beginning to lose faith that 10K would recover. It wasn’t the flu, or some cold, 10K had radiation sickness and even under the best of circumstances that could be fatal. Now, in the end of the world without adequate supplies for even the most necessities what chance did 10K have. The last IV they had from Homer’s kit had run out the day before.  And beyond sips of water there wasn’t really much more they good do for him now. Still, Cassandra refused to give up hope.

“Yeah, he should be better in a few days.” She hardened her eyes as she said the exact opposite of what the older woman had meant.

Warren softened her voice. “Cassandra it’s been almost two days and he’s not even woken up except for a few seconds, we’ve gotta accept that maybe—“

“He’ll be fine.” Cassandra glared at Warren she pursed her lips and fell silent.

“How about one of us stay with him tonight? I’ll do it and you can get some sleep.” Warren tried a different tact. Cassandra knew what she was trying to do, soften the blow for when  they would eventually have to pike 10K except Cassandra wouldn’t  to accept that possibility.  She shook her head, refusing the rest of Warren’s efforts to get her to leave, finally the woman sighed and walked away.

Cassandra could hear the whispered conversation she was having with Doc in the other room. As their words filtered through the thin walls she forced herself to not listen. She couldn’t lose 10K, she had already lost everything else.

O_o

His restless moving woke her up. It was dark in the small back room, the only light came from the small solar lamp sitting on the desk by the bed. She had fallen asleep tending to 10K.  In his sleep he had curled up against her. His fever had broken and he hadn’t thrown up in hours, but he still  was unconscious.

10K stirred again and Cassandra carefully adjusted her position so she was sitting up. Her hands brushed over his head smoothing his hair back.

“Come  on 10K wake up” Cassandra whispered feeling her  eyes moistened.  It was the same thing she had said to him countless times over the past few days and just as in the past this time she was met with silence.  

She swiped a hand across her face brushing back tears and  gave a half laugh and brushed more tears back as she added. “I’ll even let you pick those body parts from my hair like you’ve been itching too.”

It was true ever since they had met he had seemed to always find a finger, toe, ear, once even part of a tongue tangled in her hair and while he politely pointed it out she could tell he was really hoping she would be let him be the one to remove it.

He heard Cassandra’s voice filtering in and out of his half sleep and this time he was able to summon enough strength to open his eyes and answer.

“Pr—Promise?” it took Cassandra a moment to realise who had spoken then she looked down to see 10K wearily staring up at her.

 His voice was weak and hoarse but he  had a little more colour to his face .

She was so surprised it took her a few moments to answer. “Yeah promise “ She gave a tired half laugh. “though I think you’ve been putting them in my hair on purpose.”

 “Ha—Have not.”

“How do you feel?”

“Like I got run over by a herd of Z’s...where are we?”

“Still in Edgemont in the cabin.”

“I thought you guys—would have—moved on without me.”

“I--We—“ 10K noticed how she blushed as she quickly corrected herself. “would never leave you behind.”

“Is that a fact?”

“Yep,”

10K knew he was pushing it  but he wanted to know.  He hesitated then blurted out. “You speaking for  everyone or yourself.”

Cassandra seemed to hesitate then she answered. “Both.”

10K reached up thumbing a tear off her cheek and seemed to hesitate before he blurted out. “Well...I’d never leave you behind either.”

He opened his mouth to say something else and was stopped by Cassandra abruptly leaning down and kissing him.

It ended all too soon. She was already apologizing as she pulled away. “That was wrong, I don’t –“

He wanted more, the feel of her body pressed against his had aroused something in him but 10K  could tell that she felt awkward about the whole thing. Instead of following through with his desires he gave a self-deprecating laugh trying to put her at ease.. “My vomit breath is that bad huh?”

“Yes—No” Cassandra shook her head falling silent. 10K used the opportunity to use his elbows to push himself into  fully  sitting position and turned to face Cassandra.

She was staring at the ground now as she started talking. “That was wrong—I didn’t mean it like that—“

“Like what?”

Cassandra glanced up meeting his eyes. “I care about you 10K, but after all that stuff that’s happened.  I’m not ready. We’re friends and—“

She broke off , 10K waited then prompted “and?”

“And nothing—we can’t be anything else—at least not right now.”

10K understood what she was saying, and he was willing to give her as much time as she needed, but it was hard to pretend her words hadn’t hurt. “Yeah, okay.”

Cassandra saw the look in his eyes before his emotions were quickly concealed.  She reached out grabbing his hands in hers and waited until he looked at her directly. “Let’s focus on getting Murphy to California and along the way...we’ll  figure out us.”


End file.
